Apparatus for forming tapering tubes.



PATENTED JUNE '11, 1907.

J. GRIBBEN. APPARATUS FOR FORMING TAPERING TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1907.

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[NI/@NTOR J 67756611.

Alfomeyx PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

J. GRIBBEN. APPARATUS FOR FORMING TAPERING TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1907.

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{AWE/W01? Aftomeys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GRIBBEN, OF SHARPSBUR-G, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID J. MORGAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

A li ati fil d January 23,1907. Serial No. 353,737.

T (10% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN GRIBBEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sharpsburg, Allegheny county, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Tapering Tubes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming tapering tubes, and the invention has for its object to provide novel means for tapering a cylindrical tube or pipe.

My apparatus is particularly designed for producing tapering poles, such as used by street railway systems for supporting trolley wires, although the poles can be readily employed for other purposes.

The apparatus consists of a housing of four tapering rolls journaled in suitable housings and providing a tapering pass into which a cylindrical tube or pipe is fed to be gradually reduced and tapered by said rolls. In connection with the rolls, I employ positive and reliable means for feeding a tube or pipe between the rolls and withdrawing the same.

The detail construction of my improved apparatus will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, and referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of an apparatus constructed in ac cordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line a' ac of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan of the feeding mechanism of my improved apparatus, Fig. 5 is an elevation of a clamp used in connection with the feeding mechanism, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a movable head, Fig. 7 is a deta l sectional view of one of the rolls of the apparatus.

To put my invention into practice, 1 construct two housings 1 and 2, and in said housings I journal four tapering rolls 3, said rolls being disposed at right angles to one another and providing a tapering pass 4 having its greatest cross sectional area adjacent to the housing 1. The spindles 5 of the rolls. adj acent to thehousing 2 are provided with spur wheels 6 adapted to mesh with a spur wheel 7 mounted upon a shaft 8 journaled cc11- trally in the housing The shaft 8 may be driven from a suitable engine or by a motor.

In connection with the housing of rolls just described, I use a feeding mechanism consisting of an endless chain carrying a movable head. p provide a pit 9 and bearing blocks 10 and 11. In the bearing blocks 10 is a revoluble shaft 12 carrying a sprocket wheel 14, while in the bearings 11 is journaled a shaft 15 carrying a sprocket wheel 16. Over the wheels 14 and 16 travels an endless sprocket chain 17.

Spanning the pit 9 is a movable head 18 which is cut away at 19 to clear the chain 17 Attached to the movable head 18 is a clamp 20 which is alsocut away as at 21 to clear the sprocketchain 17 The clamp 20 is provided with a socket 22 and a strap 23 for holding the end of a tube or pipe 2 1 against the movable head 18. The clamp 20 is provided with a pivoted pin or hool' 25 adapted to engage in the sprocket chain 17 and carry the movable head back and forth as the chain 17 is moved. To move the chain 17, I provide the shaft 15 with a pulley 26 which constitutes part of a conventional form of reversible clutch mechanism 27, the clutch mcchai'iism being employed to control the direction in which the chain 17 travels.

In operation, a cylindrical tube or pipe is placed in engagement with the clamp 20 and the movable head 18 and the movable head and clamp moved a sullicient distance to per mit of the end of the tube or pipe 24; being inserted in the tapering pass 41 formed between the rolls 3. The chain 17 is then placed in operation to force the tube or pipe 241 into the pass 4, and as said tube or pipe moves therein, the action of the tapering rolls 3 gradually rcduces and tapers the tube or pipe 24-. After it has been tapered. a sullicient distance, it is withdrawn from the pass 1 by reversing the movement of the chain 17.

I do not care to confine myself to the exact construction of the apparatus as disclosed, and such changes in the size, proportion and minor details of construct on, as are permissible by the appended claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Adjacent to the housing 1, I

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for forming tapering tubes, the combination of supporting housings, two pairs of tapered rolls journaled in said housings and disposed with the rolls of each pair opposite to each other to provide a tapering pass having its greatest cross sectional area adjacent one of the housings, means for driving said rolls in unison, and a feeding mechanism comprising an endless conveyer, a movable head arranged to be detachably connected with said conveyer and means for securing a tube in said movable head.

2. In an apparatus for forming tapering tubes four suitably supported tapering forming rolls disposed to form a tapering pass between the rolls having its greatest cross sectional area at one end of the rolls, means at one end of said rolls for driving the same in unison, means at the other end of said rolls for feeding a tube into the said tapering pass, comprising an endless conveyer, a movable head arranged to be carried along by said conveyer toward the pass between the rolls and means for securinga tube in said movable head.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I JOHN GRIBBEN'. Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, MAX II. SRoLovrrz 

